Train-carried receiver for automatic train-control systems



1,630,559 May 1927' c. H. ZIERDT TRAIN GARRIED RECEIVER FOR AUTOMATICTRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS Filed Oct. 5. 1925 a?) 16 '1 Z? Mk. 1 1 /L 4 7. .4

INVENTOR G15 MATTORNEY i atonted i l lay 2751, 1927a unites STATESPATENT orr cr...

GQIQ'RAD Ii. ZEERDT, OF ROSEDALE, PENN TOl/VNSHIP, ALLEGHENY GO'UIQ'TY,PENN E'JYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SEVITCI'I AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OFI'SViTISS VALE, BENNEEYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAIN-CARRIED RECEIVER AUTOMATIC TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEMS.

Application filed October 5, 1925.

. My invention relates to autoniatic train control systems of the typewherein train carried apparatus is controlled at least in part by analternating current which flows tl'u'ough the two track rails innultiple.

More specifically, my present invention relates to a train carriedreceiver for use in systems of this character. 1

ilne object of my invention, isthe provision of a receiver which willsupply energy to the train carried apparatus in accordance with thetrain controlling current in the track rails, but which will not supplyenergy to such apparatus in accordance with alternating cin'rentsfiowingin adjacent transmission lines or in adjacent tracks, etc.

if. will describe one form of receiver embodying my invention, and willthen point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing aportion of an automatic train control system including one form ofreceiverembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the. receiverA shown in Fi 1. j j

Slimilar rererence characters refer tosimilar parts in each of theviews.

Referring lirst to F 1, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate thetrackrails of a railway, which rails are divided by insulated joints toform a track section. .OOIb nected ac ross the rails of this, section atspaced jfioints arc two'resistancesfi and 8, and connected with themiddlepoints of these two'resistanccsrespectively are the two terminalsof the secondary 4t of a transf rm-er 'l. The primary 5 of thistransformer supplied. with alternating train controlling current'from asuitable source not shown in. the drawing. It is understood that inpractice the supply of current to the track rails by transformer T willusually be controlled in accordance with traffic conditions, butinasmuch as the controlling means forms no part of the present inventionit is omitted from the drawing. It will be 'apparent that the currentsupplied by transformer 'l flows throughthe two track rails 1 and 1 inmultiple, that is, at any given instant it flows in the same directionin these rails.

The reference character W designates a railway train provided with areceiver A broken lines 17 and 17 in Fig. 2.

Serial No. 60,504.

embodying my invention. Referring to Fig. 2, t lns receiver A comprisesa bar 8 of mag netizable material extending transversely across the twotrack rails 1 and l which bar is provided with four downwardly pro ectng legs 9, 1 0, 11 and 12. These legs are so disposed that the legs 9and '10 are on oppos te sides of one track rail 1, whereas the legs 11and 12 are on opposite sides of the other track rail 1. The two innerlegs 10 and 11 are provided respectively with feet 10 and 11 whichextend parallel with the track rails, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1.

The four legs 9, 10, 11 and 12 carry a winding which is made up of fourcoils 13, 14, 15 and 16, located upon the four legs respectively. Thiswinding is included in a pickup circuit B, the four coils beingconnected in series in this circuit in such manner that the polaritiesof the coils on each two adjacent legs are opposite. The pick-up circuitalso includes a condenser 7 which will usually be adjusted to balancethe inductive impedance of the circuit B, so that this circuit is tunedto resonance at the frequency of the current furnished by transformer T.

The pick-up circuit B may be used in connection with tain carriedgoverning apparatus of any suitable type' As here shown, this circuitsupplies energy to one winding 4; of an induction motor relay R,theother winding o of which is supplied with energy by any suitablemeans having nothing to do with the present invention. 1 An amplifier isprefe ably interposed between the receiving circuit 13 and the windingat. As here shown, the amplifier is connected across the termi- 9o nalsof the condenser 7. i U The magnetic fluxes surrounding rails 1" and 1due to the current from transformer '1 in those rails, may berepresented by the The l 17 surrounding rail 1 will pass through coils15 and 16 in such directions as to create electrom-otive forces in thecircuit B which are additive. Similarly, the flux 17 surrounding rail 1will flow through coils 13 and 14: in such directions as to createelectroinotive forces in the circuit B which are additive. Furthermore,the electroinotive forces thus created in coils 15 and 16 by the oneflux and in coils 13 and 1st by the other flux are additive. Anelectromotive force is therefore created across the terminals ofcondenser T due to current supplied to the track .rails by thetiransforn'ier T.

The two rails will also be surrounded by a mi-ic'netie flux which may herepresented by the hroken line 18. This flux will flow through the coils13 and 16' in such directions as to create electromotive forces in thesecoils which are additiveto each other, and which are also additive tothe electrolnotive forces created by the flurtes 17 and 1.7 surroundingthe individual rails.

A horizontal foreign magnetic flu); will pass partly along the bar 8 andso will create no electroniotive force in. the winding of receiver A. Apart of such flux will enter at the leg 9, and will leave at legs 10, 11and 12 whileanother part will. enter at log. If) am will leave atlegs 11and 12. i A very small part may enter atleg 11 and leave at 12. Byproper. balancing of the turns in the several coils and ofthe sizes ofthe feet 10 and 11, the parts of a horizontal flux which actually passthrough the coils may he made to substantially neutralize each. otherand so to create no substantial electromotive force in circuit B.

A vertical foreign flux will pass though all four legs of the core inthe same direction, and by properly selecting the number of turns-inthecoils and the size of the feet, the resulting electromotive forcescreated in the pick-up circuit B can be made nearly equal and opposite.

It follows from the foregoing, that any foreign magnetic flux due toalternating current ina t'ansmissi'on line or an adjacent track.- Willcreate little or no electromotive force inthe pick-up circuit B and sowill have little or no tendency to cause false operation of the traingoverning relay R.

In train control system of the type to which this invention relates, thereceiver A is usually located between the engine and tender of a steamtrain, and between the first and second cars of an electric train. Ihave found that in some instances a portion of the current fromtransformer T will leave the rails at the forward end of the train,

pass through the steel structure and couplers of the train and return tothe ails from the rear end of the train. Inasmuch as the re ceiver A. isusually located under a coupler, it follows that this current whichpasses through the train itself. and which is us 3 termed the cou'pleicurrent will pas above the receiver A. lVhenthc receiver is constructedin accordance with my inventiomthemagnetic thin surrounding the couplerwill pass through the middle legs 14 and of the receiver core 8, and sowill create voltages in the coils Li and 15 which assistthe voltagesinduced in the circuit B by the current which remains in the trackrails.

Although I have herein shown and. described only one form of receiverembodying my invention, it is understood that various changes andmodifications may be made therein within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing :t'ron'i the spirit and scope of my invention.Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: a

1. A train-carried receiver comprising a bar extending. t 'ansverselyacross the track rails and having four downwardly projecting legs two ofwhich are on opposite sides of one track rail and the other two of whichare on opposite sides of the other track rail, and a winding made up ofa coil on each lcg said coils being connected in series in such mannerthat the electromotive forces induced therein by an alternating currentflowing through the two track rails in multiple are additive.

2. A train-carried receiver comprising a bar extending transverselyacross the track rails and having fonr downwardly project ing legs, twoof which are on opposite sides o-fone rail and the other two of whichare on opposite sides of the other rail, the two inner legs having feetextendingparallel to thetrack rails, anda winding made npof a coil oneach leg, said coils being connected in series in such manner that theelectrometive forces induced therein by alternating current in the trackrails are additive.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CONRAD H. ZIERDT.

(lit

